So now's the time to show your age. Anybody remember ULTRA MAN? I watched every episode in the early/mid 1970's when I lived in Alexandria, VA but then we moved and I lost touch. I found these clips on You Tube (You Tube is awesome!) and wanted to share with anyone who remembers. The clips are in Japanese and not English but it won't matter. The first clip was the opening when it came on T.V. I was amazed at remembering so much of it. Anyway, this is my light hearted post of the week. Have fun! Keep in mind that Jesus Christ is the ultimate Ultraman. He died and came back to life...now that's Ultra!
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Borrowed from Starbucks
Sometimes I read something on the Starbuck's cups that I can agree with. The comment is from Art Turock and is aimed at sales people but is apropos to faith in Christ.
Let's commit to serving Christ for His glory and then relish the results!
There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're
interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit.
When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses, just results.
Let's commit to serving Christ for His glory and then relish the results!
Friday, July 13, 2007
Godly Success
Our American culture honors success. If you look around success seems to be measured by how many of something you have, how much what you have costs (higher cost items = higher success), how new what you have is, and the ability to have more than what you need. Successful people are both admired and envied by those less successful (because they don’t have all those somethings).
I’m worried and sickened that the same measure of cultural thinking is used to measure success in our churches today. How many people were in worship today…what was the offering today…hey pastor, that sure is some church (building) you’ve got there. Are we measuring success of our churches based on attendance, on the size of our building, on the amount our building cost to build, on the giving potential of the congregation, on the number of programs we offer, on the number of staff the church employs, on the type of coffee we can afford to serve, on the location of our facilities, etc., etc., I think you get the point. From my recent experiences it sure seems to be the case.
How does God determine the church’s success? What would he think about church leadership? What would he consider a healthy church? I cannot speak for God but I can review His word for clues. Let’s consider the following examples of healthy, successful churches:
The first Church, Acts 2:42 – People devoted to being taught, devoted to being together, devoted to eating with each other and devoted to prayer. They cared for one another’s needs, they increased in number not by folks jumping from one church to the next with better programs or newer prettier buildings but they grew in size as people came to faith in Christ and were saved.
Acts 8 – Successful churches will be persecuted for their faith and will preach the gospel no matter where they travel.
Acts 13 – The Church at Antioch – Successful churches understand their mission and believers will be called to go wherever to spread the good news. A successful church is a sending church (not just throwing money at missionaries but actually raising up men, women and children to be sent to the mission field). Oh yea, and they don’t cut their missions giving to make up short falls in other areas.
Romans 1: The Church in Rome – people will talk about the faith of a successful church.
Philippians 2 & 4: The Church at Philip was an obedient Church and a giving Church. Not only do they amply financially support themselves they also give generously to missions.
1st Thessalonians 1: Like the Church at Rome the faith in God that the Thessalonian Church had was so powerful that people all over the region were talking about it. A successful church performs good works produced by faith, they labor and serve prompted by love and they endure all manner of difficulties because their hope is not in cultural successes but their hope is in Jesus Christ.
1st Thessalonians 4: A successful Church like the Thessalonian Church isn’t living to please themselves or to please others but only to please God by living holy lives.
If we are going to be successful in God’s eyes, if our desire is at the end to hear Him say “well done good and faithful servant” then we had better become leaders that lead our congregations to be like the Churches listed above. We need to quit looking inward and look outward. We need to reward the Lord’s servants by encouragement and comforting. We need to lead the Church away from cultural success – bigger, prettier church buildings filled with programs, rock concert equipment, non-offensive sermons, and entertainment minded worship services. We need to lead the Church to live their faith outside of a church building, to love the fellowship of believers, to raise up missionaries, to give generously to people in need, to live lives that only please God and no one else, and devoting themselves to prayer and to being prepared for persecution. That’s God’s mark of success. I want to be a member of that Church! You can keep you’re pretty new buildings and all that other stuff. I don’t want it!
I’m worried and sickened that the same measure of cultural thinking is used to measure success in our churches today. How many people were in worship today…what was the offering today…hey pastor, that sure is some church (building) you’ve got there. Are we measuring success of our churches based on attendance, on the size of our building, on the amount our building cost to build, on the giving potential of the congregation, on the number of programs we offer, on the number of staff the church employs, on the type of coffee we can afford to serve, on the location of our facilities, etc., etc., I think you get the point. From my recent experiences it sure seems to be the case.
How does God determine the church’s success? What would he think about church leadership? What would he consider a healthy church? I cannot speak for God but I can review His word for clues. Let’s consider the following examples of healthy, successful churches:
The first Church, Acts 2:42 – People devoted to being taught, devoted to being together, devoted to eating with each other and devoted to prayer. They cared for one another’s needs, they increased in number not by folks jumping from one church to the next with better programs or newer prettier buildings but they grew in size as people came to faith in Christ and were saved.
Acts 8 – Successful churches will be persecuted for their faith and will preach the gospel no matter where they travel.
Acts 13 – The Church at Antioch – Successful churches understand their mission and believers will be called to go wherever to spread the good news. A successful church is a sending church (not just throwing money at missionaries but actually raising up men, women and children to be sent to the mission field). Oh yea, and they don’t cut their missions giving to make up short falls in other areas.
Romans 1: The Church in Rome – people will talk about the faith of a successful church.
Philippians 2 & 4: The Church at Philip was an obedient Church and a giving Church. Not only do they amply financially support themselves they also give generously to missions.
1st Thessalonians 1: Like the Church at Rome the faith in God that the Thessalonian Church had was so powerful that people all over the region were talking about it. A successful church performs good works produced by faith, they labor and serve prompted by love and they endure all manner of difficulties because their hope is not in cultural successes but their hope is in Jesus Christ.
1st Thessalonians 4: A successful Church like the Thessalonian Church isn’t living to please themselves or to please others but only to please God by living holy lives.
If we are going to be successful in God’s eyes, if our desire is at the end to hear Him say “well done good and faithful servant” then we had better become leaders that lead our congregations to be like the Churches listed above. We need to quit looking inward and look outward. We need to reward the Lord’s servants by encouragement and comforting. We need to lead the Church away from cultural success – bigger, prettier church buildings filled with programs, rock concert equipment, non-offensive sermons, and entertainment minded worship services. We need to lead the Church to live their faith outside of a church building, to love the fellowship of believers, to raise up missionaries, to give generously to people in need, to live lives that only please God and no one else, and devoting themselves to prayer and to being prepared for persecution. That’s God’s mark of success. I want to be a member of that Church! You can keep you’re pretty new buildings and all that other stuff. I don’t want it!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Exercise
Yea, so I'm 41, I'm bald and I'm overweight. I can't do anything about the first two but the last one I'm going to attempt to do something about. I actually ran a little bit (a very little bit) yesterday for the first time in years. I hated going to do it, hated the doing of it, but I was refreshed and felt great afterwards. Today I got suckered into playing softball...haven't done that since I was 19. I actually hit the ball and scored the winning run. Not too shabby for an old, bald, fat man!
Not only am I exercising my body but also my mind. I'm spending time reading the Bible and some commentaries, specifically in 1st Thessalonians. It's good stuff for my thoughts.
Lastly I'm exercising my faith. I'm trusting God for direction in my life, for my purpose and my future. I'm not sure where he will take me but I trust Him.
So exercise is a three part process...one without the other two just won't do!
Not only am I exercising my body but also my mind. I'm spending time reading the Bible and some commentaries, specifically in 1st Thessalonians. It's good stuff for my thoughts.
Lastly I'm exercising my faith. I'm trusting God for direction in my life, for my purpose and my future. I'm not sure where he will take me but I trust Him.
So exercise is a three part process...one without the other two just won't do!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Obey
In my quiet time this morning I read Deuteronomy Chapter 11. In this chapter God commands the Israelites to “love the lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul”. Simple. To love God and serve him with my whole heart requires a bending of my will (what I want) to His will (what I need). I’ve heard this saying all of my life, “what I want is not always what I need and what I need isn’t always what I want”. I need God thus I must obey.
I suddenly remember an old church hymn, Trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
I suddenly remember an old church hymn, Trust and obey.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He
sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in
Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly
drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide
while we trust and obey.
Refrain
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth
richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is
blessed if we trust and obey.
Refrain
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the
altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for
them who will trust and obey.
Refrain
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet.
Or we’ll walk by
His side in the way.
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
Refrain
The truth of scripture (Deut. 11, John 17, Romans 6) is that if when we
obey God promises his strength, blessings, protection from evil, unity in faith
and purpose, and to lead us into righteousness.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
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